Text: Edgar Allan Poe (?), Literary, Broadway Journal (New York), September 20, 1845, vol. 2, no. 11, p. ???, col. ?

[page 168:]

Gowans’ Bibliotheca Americana. No 1. — A Brief Description of New York, formerly called New Netherlands, with the Places thereunto adjoining. Likewise a brief Relation of the Customs of the Indians there. By Daniel Denton. A New Edition, with an Introduction and Copious Historical Notes. By Gabriel Furman, Member of the New York Historical Society. New York: William Gowans.

This truly beautiful volume (of about 60 pages octavo) is the first of an important series relating to the History, Literature, Biography, Antiquities, and Curiosities of the American Continent. It will consist, chiefly, of reprints from old and scarce works; an original one will be occasionally introduced. To the reprints, nothing is to be added unless in the way of notes, or introduction. A part to appear every six months at least.

Denton's “New Netherlands,” the opening number of the series, is the first printed description in the English language of the region now embraced in the States of New York and New Jersey. It is very rare. Until the importation of the copy from which the volume now before us is printed, there were only two copies in the United States — one in the State Library at Albany, and one at Harvard. There are only two copies (accessible) in England. Mr. Aspinwall has one — the British Museum the other.

A great portion of the book is devoted to Long Island and New York City. The whole is of exceeding interest — to say nothing of its value in an historical point of view.